Saturday ceremony will honor longtime city employee and unveil a new elk statue.
AT A GLANCE
Park: John Bellon Memorial Park
Location: 39 Main Street, next to the Baldwin Hotel, Klamath Falls
Dedication: Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 2 p.m.
Honoree: John Ray Bellon, longtime City of Klamath Falls Urban Forester and Parks Community Relations Manager
Park Feature: New elk statue installed ahead of Saturday's unveiling
Status: Park remains under construction; Saturday's ceremony is not the official park opening
John Bellon: The longtime Klamath Falls city employee, who died September 14 at age 68, will be honored with a new downtown park bearing his name. Family photo.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — A new downtown park in Klamath Falls will carry the name of a man who spent more than three decades helping shape the city's parks, trails, and public spaces.
The Klamath Falls City Council voted Monday, October 19, to name the new park at 39 Main Street, next to the historic Baldwin Hotel, John Bellon Memorial Park in honor of the longtime city employee who died September 14 at age 68.
A public dedication ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at 2 p.m., giving the community an opportunity to remember Bellon and celebrate his contributions to Klamath Falls.
The ceremony will also feature the unveiling of a large elk statue that was installed at the park this week.
City officials emphasized that Saturday's event is a dedication and statue unveiling, not the park's official opening. Construction is still underway, and the park is not yet complete.
Remembering a Career Dedicated to Klamath Falls
Bellon served the City of Klamath Falls for more than 30 years, working as its Urban Forester and Parks Community Relations Manager.
Throughout his career, he helped residents, community organizations, and city partners develop projects that improved local parks, trails, and public spaces.
“John will be remembered in our urban forest, our landscape and in the hearts of countless people who were blessed to know him.”
His work extended beyond maintaining the city's landscape. He was known for helping turn community ideas into projects that residents could enjoy for years to come.
Bellon also had a personal appreciation for the outdoors. According to his obituary, he enjoyed hiking and cross-country skiing with friends, sharing his enthusiasm for the natural spaces that surrounded his community.
His death last month prompted an outpouring of remembrance from friends, colleagues, and others who knew him through his years of public service.
Klamath Falls City Councilor Michael Angeli described Bellon as both a close friend and someone deeply connected to the community.
"John was a dear friend. He was a problem solver, ambassador of our community and fellow outdoorsman," Angeli wrote in a public tribute.
"Our conversations were too few because we had too much to accomplish in our given time," Angeli added.
Angeli said Bellon's influence would remain visible in the community he helped care for.
"John will be remembered in our urban forest, our landscape and in the hearts of countless people who were blessed to know him."
A New Public Space Takes Shape Downtown
The park is being developed at 39 Main Street, adjacent to the Baldwin Hotel, adding a new gathering space to downtown Klamath Falls.
As construction continues, one of the park's prominent features is already in place.
Photographs provided by the city show crews using a crane to carefully position a large elk statue on a rocky landscaped foundation. The sculpture depicts a bull elk with its head raised and antlers extended.
The installation marks a visible step toward completion of the downtown project ahead of Saturday's dedication.
Although the park is not yet ready for its official opening, the city is inviting residents to attend the ceremony and take part in honoring Bellon's memory.
The dedication is also an opportunity to recognize a career spent improving the places where Klamath Falls residents gather, recreate, and connect with the outdoors.
A Legacy That Will Continue to Grow
For Bellon's family, friends, and former colleagues, the naming of the park creates a permanent connection between his life and the work he loved.
Bellon is survived by his wife, Lisa; sons, Dallas and Skyler; daughter, Lily; two granddaughters, and other family members.
His obituary included a simple message reflecting his lifelong appreciation for parks, recreation, and the natural world:
"Visit a park, hike a trail, play in the snow, and, where you can, plant a tree and watch it grow!"
The words offer a fitting reflection on the new park that will bear his name, providing another place for the Klamath Falls community to enjoy the outdoors and remember a man who dedicated much of his life to making those spaces possible.
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